Kylie Berthine
1951–2023
It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Kylie Berhine Scheibner Black Milne, who departed this world on December 29, 2023. Kylie was a beloved member of the community, a cherished family member, and a friend to many. Her loss leaves an irreplaceable void in our lives, but her memory will forever be etched in our hearts.
Kylie was born on June 15, 1951 in Salem, Oregon, to Beverly and Frank Scheibner. She attended Grover Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon, where she excelled academically and formed lifelong friendships. When she was a teenager, she entered a radio contest and won the title of President of the Paul Revere and the Raiders International Fan Club, which took her to California to attend appearances on “Where the Action Is.” She graduated in 1969 during the height of the Vietnam War and the Summer of Love. She attended the historic music festival “Vortex,” and had many great stories about her experience.
Kylie’s professional life was marked by dedication and excellence. When she was in high school, she worked for the Moyer theaters – while working the box office one night, she was robbed at gunpoint. They caught the man because she noticed that he was wearing bright orange hunting socks in the summer.
She was a teller at First Interstate Bank in Westmoreland; she and her husband moved to the Mount Hood area in 1979. She later found employment at Clackamas County Bank, where she was a drive-through teller. She moved up the ladder to new accounts then finally to Hoodland Branch Manager. During her tenure, she was presented with an extortion situation and yet another armed robbery.
At one point, she thought she’d try a position with the Internal Revenue Service, which was short-lived: it wasn’t for her. She worked as a real estate broker with Merit Properties in Hoodland for the better part of two decades. She was voted a two term president of the Mt. Hood Area Chamber of Commerce: she came up with many creative ways to raise money for the community, including car raffles and Fourth of July carnivals with firework displays. In the 1980s, she was the President of Friends of the Ivy Bear, a group whose mission was to resurrect the Historic Ivy Bear after it fell in a storm.
Kylie started a support group for parents of special education kids called SCOPE. She was on the Riverside/Aldercreek water district Board of Directors during a time when they successfully sued the federal government over riparian rights. She was also a key figure in obtaining local and long distance service to the Portland area for the Mt. Hood Area and beyond.. Kylie was also involved in a citizen group to make Highway 26 a safety corridor, implementing rumble strips and cable and concrete barriers. She went to tattoo school to do cosmetic tattooing and later formed a tattoo school.
Kylie was afflicted with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis for over 20 years. At one point, she suffered from RA with Pyoderma Gangrenosum. When she was being treated for cellulitis, she was called a drug seeker, and almost lost her legs as a result of that accusation. That experience made her realize that there weren’t any real advocates for people suffering from RA, so she started a support group for the condition. She was also a commissioner for the State of Oregon Home Health board, operating from bed via Skype and telephone (pre-COVID). She was a champion for others to find their voice in communicating with their doctors.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Kylie was a person of great character and warmth. She married Leon Black in 1973, divorcing in 1980. She later married Richard Milne. Kylie was a devoted parent to Farrell Black and Morgan Black. She was a loving Grammy to McKenna, Cicily and Cierra, and mother-in-law to Roger “Lee” Taylor and Sophia Cavazos. Kylie is survived by her beloved brother, Craig Scheibner, and her children and grandchildren.
Though Kylie is no longer with us, her spirit lives on in the memories we hold dear. She didn’t want a funeral – she wanted us to have a party, and that is why I am celebrating her birthday in June. Let us cherish the moments we shared, the lessons she taught us, and the love she gave so freely. Kylie had a laugh that could be recognized from across a grocery store, and her legacy is one of kindness, generosity, and unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. She will forever remain in our hearts.